For the storage of office records and other articles, it is common practice to use a file system to facilitate the organization and storage of office records and articles. These file systems commonly take the form of a file having a front panel and a rear panel connected along at least one edge, and a top-index unit joined with one of the panels and having an index tab extending above the file to facilitate identification of the contents of the file. Such files are designed to be stored in file drawers for ready access. File drawers are space-consuming and both active and less active files are frequently transferred to shelf-storage units which may be fixed-shelf cabinets or power-driven moving shelves.
However, a file system with a top-index is cumbersome to remove from a horizontal storage shelf or like other storage apparatus since the file is difficult to grasp and manipulate when it is wedged between other files in a densely packed, narrow space, as is commonly done in the storage of files, and is therefore difficult to remove from the storage shelf.
In addition, it is difficult to read the label on the index tab of a top-index type file which is stored horizontally on a shelf since the files are generally positioned at a considerable depth within the shelf and the top index tabs are generally located at a mid-section of each file where the tops of the files are obscured.
Many offices initially use top-index files for storage, but use a horizontal-type storage shelf to store these files when it becomes necessary or desirable to conserve space. Because of the difficulty involved in reading the labels of top-index files stored on storage shelves, the use of such files becomes impractical for the storage needs of many offices.
Some offices convert a top-index file to a side-index file by attaching a tab to one side of the index file to facilitate ease to the user in reading and organizing the labels when the file is stored horizontally on a shelf. However, these tabs cannot extend along the full height of the file, lack durability and may be torn off, or are difficult to grasp to afford removal of the file from a densely packed storage shelf.
Side-index file folders and envelopes are available for receiving the contents of the top-index files, and such files may be grasped by their exposed edge for removal from a storage shelf. However, such envelope files are expensive and frequently spillage and disorder of the file contents occur when the contents of a heavy top-index file are transferred to the side-index file. Furthermore, notes or documents placed in the file may be lost or misplaced in the transfer. The index edge of the envelope is often difficult to see, and they are not designed to accommodate thick documents or bulky articles.